


Out of the Fire

by lechaton17



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Guns, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Mild Language, Shooting, Suspense, Violence, Yuri and Yuuri friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-09-27 20:52:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10048790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lechaton17/pseuds/lechaton17
Summary: The sun was out, and Victor was away on business, so Yuuri decided to call up Yuri and spend the day with him.And everything was great until a shooter opened fire at the restaurant they were eating at.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! 
> 
> This was meant to be a random one-shot I thought up, but it ended up longer than I thought so I will split it into two parts. 
> 
> I can never write happy stories for some reason, my apologies. 
> 
> Especially to Yuuri, he always gets the worst of it >.>
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story. Please take note of the warnings/tags.

“What?!” was the reply that Yuuri received when he decided to call Yuri early on that Tuesday morning. It made Yuuri grin, knowing that despite the fact that the younger Yuri always acted like everyone was such a nuisance, he still answered when they called.

 

“Good morning,” Yuuri replied brightly, which resulted in a scoff from Yuri. “I was going to go for a run and was wondering if you wanted to join me.”

 

“Why would I want to do that?” Yuri growled into the phone. “Just because your hubby is on a trip doesn’t mean that I have to do things with you.”

 

Yuuri chuckled. It was true that Victor was gone and Yuuri was lonely. He hadn’t really made his own friends in St. Petersburg yet, especially since he still couldn’t speak Russian to save his life. With Victor away on business, Yuri was pretty much the only other person in the city that Yuuri felt comfortable around.

 

Plus, if he went jogging alone he’d probably end up lost in the city and end up having to call Yuri for help anyway.

 

“It will be fun!” Yuuri said brightly. “Plus afterwards I’ll buy you food, my treat.”

 

Yuri sighed, as if pained. “Fine, Katsudon, but only because I want the food. I’ll be over soon.”

 

And he hung up. Yuuri laughed, shaking his head at Makkachin.

 

Yuri arrived at the flat a half hour later, throwing his bag down on the couch. “Let’s go before I change my mind,” was all he said, and Yuuri went along with it.

 

It was a rather nice day for St. Petersburg. It wasn’t terribly cold and the sun poked in and out of the clouds. Yuuri and Yuri jogged along silently, Yuri having headphones in so Yuuri couldn’t talk to him if he tried. But he didn’t mind. Sometimes, it was just nice to have company even if it was silent. It had been a hard adjustment for him when he first moved to Russia, leaving all his friends and family behind. He had felt very homesick in the beginning, and even though Victor was there and amazing as always, Yuuri couldn’t help but feel a little lonely. But things had gotten easier. Sometimes, the loneliness still crept in, especially when he wasn’t around Victor.

 

But Yuuri had been trying to build a relationship with Yuri. After all, he really cared for the kid. And even though Yuri would never admit it, Yuuri knew that he cared for him too. He could see it in the rare moments that Yuri let his guard down, whether it be a smile, or laugh, or a comment. Little clues that let Yuuri know he wasn’t as alone as he thought he was.

 

 

After their run, they went back to the flat so they could shower and change before heading out to lunch. Yuuri received a message from Victor, stating that he was bored and he missed Yuuri and wished he was home. Yuuri smiled, as he always did when he saw a message from Victor, and replied that he missed him more and was going out to lunch with Yuri.

 

_Aww, sounds fun! Tell him I say hi. I love you <3 _

 

I love you. Yuuri said those words quite often now. He had never said it much before he met Victor. But now he did, all the time.

 

_I love you too._

Sometimes, that was the only thing that got you through the day.

 

“Oi, Katsudon, let’s go!” Yuri snapped, making Yuuri jump. He hadn’t even realized Yuri was in the room, apparently waiting on him.

 

“Sorry!” Yuuri said, shoving his phone in his pocket. He patted Makkachin on the head, grabbed his coat and locked the door behind him, all the normal things that people did on a normal day. He told Yuri to choose where he wanted to eat, and Yuri didn’t hesitate dragging him to a small diner a couple blocks away. Yuuri had been here with Victor and Yuri before, and knew that a lot of the locals loved it. He liked it, too. It was homey and the food was good. As they walked through the entrance of the restaurant, Yuuri was quite happy. The day had been good so far. The weather was decent, he felt good, and Yuri seemed happy as well. If Victor had been there, it would have been a perfect day.

 

They took their seats in the crowded dining room. Despite it being a smaller place, it was almost always packed because of its popularity. Yuuri ordered the same thing he always did, at least knowing enough Russian to remember what he liked on the menu.

 

“So, Katsudon, you want to go to the rink for a bit after this?” Yuri asked, scrolling through his phone. There was a small smile on his face, though Yuuri wasn’t sure that the young skater realized it. He was glad, though. He felt rather protective of Yuri for some reason, and it made him happy to see him happy. He knew that Yuri’s defensiveness was nothing but a wall built to protect himself. Yuuri knew this because he had been there before.

 

“Sounds good,” Yuuri replied. “I was planning on going at some point today anyway.”

 

“No need to miss practices just because your coach isn’t here. You need all the practice you can get, after all.”

 

“Ha ha,” Yuuri replied, rolling his eyes. “Remember I’ve got years of experience on you.”

 

“Experience means nothing in the face of pure talent,” Yuri replied with a snicker.

 

Yuuri was about to respond when the world exploded.

 

Or at least, that what it seemed like. Loud banging sounds filled his ears, glass breaking, things falling. What was happening? An earthquake? A bomb? He didn’t know. All he knew was that it was something bad, and he grabbed Yuri by the sleeve of his hoodie and pulled him underneath the table with him.

 

People yelled, and screamed, and cried. Dust-?Smoke-? filled the air. Other people were also on the ground, hiding like they were. Yuuri tried to look around and find out what was happening.

 

And then he saw him.

 

The man with the gun.

 

* * *

 

 

When Yuuri had called him that morning, Yuri hadn’t wanted to go jogging. Not that he didn’t want to see Yuuri, he honestly just hadn’t felt like doing anything. But he could tell that Yuuri was lonely, and against his better judgement, he agreed to go.

 

And then somewhere along the line, he was glad that he went. It was stupid, but there was something about being around Yuuri Katsuki that just made him happier. He hated it. He hated that the stupid pig did that to him. But he did. There was just something about the guy that made your day a little better. Maybe it was his determination, or the way that he cared about everything and everyone.

 

Yuri couldn’t help but like the guy.

 

And, he was a damned good skater on top of that. Not that Yuri would ever tell him that.

 

He had been happy that he decided to go out that day, until they were sitting in the restaurant and someone decided to shoot up the place.

 

He had barely had time to register that something was happening when Yuuri grabbed him and pulled him under the table. The restaurant was in uproar. Gunshots sprayed across the room, shattering dishes, causing people to topple over backwards. Yuri could barely believe that this was happening. What the hell? At a restaurant?

 

“You know why I’m here!” a man yelled in Russian, and Yuri realized it was the shooter, waving his gun in the air. “I’ve told you a million fucking times, Nikolai, that I want my fucking money.”

 

Seriously? Someone was shooting up a restaurant for this?

 

“Where the fuck did you go?” the man yelled, bending over and shooting under a table a few feet away. Yuri watched it happen. A woman, looking terrified, was blown backwards as the other woman she was with screamed. Yuri’s breath caught in his throat.

 

“How many people am I going to have to kill here, you fucking coward?” the shooter said, straightening back up. Yuri realized that Yuuri was still grasping his sleeve tightly. Their eyes met under the table. Yuuri looked frightened, but also, there was a strange calmness about him. He placed his fingers to his lips, telling Yuri to be quiet. As if he could talk if he wanted to.

 

The shooter was moving, walking along the tables, looking for whoever Nikolai was. Yuri hoped the fucking coward would show himself soon, so this madness could stop. The man with the gun obviously didn’t give two shits about anyone else in the room. And Yuri sure as hell did not want to die today.

 

“I gave you fucking _six months_ ,” the man continued. “I told you that if you didn’t give it to me that there would be consequences. Well here we are. Did you think I was joking? DID YOU?”

 

“Please!” someone else cried out. “Please don’t hurt us, we didn’t do anything!”

 

The man with the gun laughed. “That doesn’t matter, sweetheart. I’m not leaving until I get what I came for.”

 

Someone stood up and tried to run. The gun fired again, and the man running fell over the top of a table. He fell just inches away from Yuri, a look of terror etched into his face.

 

Oh fuck.

 

“See what you’ve caused, Nikolai?” the gunman yelled. “All these deaths are on your hands!”

 

Yuri pulled out his phone. He needed to get help. Had anyone been able to call? People outside? Surely people could hear the gunshots. The screams. Right? Yuri could smell blood. How many people had gotten hurt? How many people were dead?

 

Yuuri snatched his phone out of his hands and shook his head warningly. Yuri tried to snatch it back but Yuuri moved farther out of reach.

 

 _We need help!_ Yuri mouthed angrily.

 

“Nikolai?” Yuri jumped and turned to see a gun in his face. He hadn’t even realized the man was that close. His breath caught and his heart had to have stopped. He didn’t want to die. Oh god, he didn’t want to die. He had so much to do. He was too young. He was scared. He hadn’t done anything-

 

The man studied him, his eyes flickering to Yuuri, who’s grip was tighter than ever. The man’s brow furrowed, and he reached over Yuri and grabbed Yuri’s phone out of Yuuri’s hand, throwing it.

 

“No one’s going to fucking help you!” the man yelled at them, and oh fuck, this was it, this was it-

 

Someone pulled him down. Yuuri, his grip still firm. The gunshot was so loud Yuri was sure it had blown out his eardrums. And then the man was gone, as quickly as he was there.

 

Oh fuck.

 

Yuri was scared to move. Was Yuuri dead? His grip had slackened. He didn’t want to look. He didn’t want to know.

 

And then he heard him.

 

“ _Don’t move_.”

 

Yuri closed his eyes and breathed. Yuuri was alive. Was he crying? Tears were on his face, and his heart was hammering against his chest. Yuri could smell the blood. It was so strong. And warm. Something warm seeped into his sweatshirt. He squeezed his eyes shut as tight as he could.

 

  _Don’t move don’t move don’t move_

 

Sirens.

 

He could hear them.

 

How long had they been there already?

 

Was Yuuri hurt?

 

He didn’t want to die.

 

Sirens were getting closer.

 

He didn’t want Yuuri to die.

 

“Nikolai, we’re running out of time.”

 

A woman screamed. The gunman had pulled her up from under a table.

 

“Your wife, am I right?”

 

Sirens.

 

Yuuri’s blood was warm. Yuri couldn’t even see him.

 

“Please don’t!”

 

Laughter.

 

“FINALLY, my friend. Finally. Now we can end this in one of two ways. I can blow your wife’s pretty head off, or we can leave together. You have five seconds.”

 

Sobbing. Yuri counted in his head. He reached two before the man, Nikolai, replied, “Please, don’t. I’ll go.”

 

Sirens were closer.

 

Yuri could hear Yuuri breathing, which was at least a little comfort.

 

The man threw the woman down, and put the gun to Nikolai and said, “Let’s go.”

 

The woman sobbed.

 

* * *

 

The sirens were loud. Yuuri watched as the feet of the two men disappeared from view. He breathed, trying to stay calm. He knew that the bullet had hit his shoulder, and that he was bleeding. But he was awake. And Yuri was okay. At least, he was breathing too. Yuuri hadn’t understood a word of what was happening, but he could only hope that it was almost over.

 

_I love you._

He loved Victor so much.

 

If he did die today, at least those were the last words that he sent the man that he loved.

 

No one was moving or saying anything. It was silent, except for the sirens and the quiet sobs of the woman on the floor. Yuuri was starting to feel tired. His adrenaline was starting to leave him. He was sure that the shooting had only lasted a few minutes, but it had felt like hours. Every second was dragging. Yuri didn’t move. But his hand did. It inched until it was touching his own hand. Yuuri placed his fingertips on the top of Yuri’s hand, letting him know it was okay.

 

They were okay.

 

They would be okay.

 

The room was still silent.

 

As if they were all dead.

 

Yuuri hoped that they weren’t.

 

His arm hurt.

 

He wanted Victor.

 

Suddenly there were loud voices again, so loud in the dead silence. The police. The police were there.

 

They were going to be okay.

 

His phone was in his pocket. Using his uninjured arm he pulled it out. His vision was fuzzy. Were his glasses on?

 

He pulled up Victor’s message from earlier.

 

_I love you._

 

He said it again.

 

_Something happened._

Victor replied a moment later.

_What’s wrong?_

Suddenly the police were there, guns in front. Yuuri dropped his phone. Yuri replied to them in Russian, his voice nothing more than a terrified squeak. The police moved on.

 

Yuri turned his head and Yuuri could see him now. His face wasn’t clear but Yuuri could tell he was afraid.

 

“Y-you okay?” Yuri whispered.

 

Yuuri nodded, his eyelids drooping. Why was he so tired? Where did his phone go? He had to talk to Victor.

 

“H-hey, stay awake!” Yuri hissed. “Don’t fucking close your eyes! Please, Yuuri.”

 

Yuuri smiled. Yuri never called him by his name.

 

* * *

 

It felt like they were under that table for hours.

 

Finally, the police were satisfied that the gunman was gone, and the paramedics came in. Yuri kept talking to Yuuri, trying to keep him awake as he waited for help to come to them. Yuuri was bleeding a lot from a wound on his shoulder, and Yuri could tell Yuuri was about to pass out. But he wasn’t sure if he could handle that. Did people die from shots to the shoulder? Surely it was bad to lose that much blood? Why the fuck was no one helping them?

 

“It’s okay, Yuri,” Yuuri said breathlessly. He had said it already several times, but everything was anything but okay. A light caught his attention; Yuuri’s phone. Victor was calling. His hands shaking, Yuri picked it up and answered it. But he couldn’t find his voice.

 

“Yuuri?” Victor asked, confused. “Are you there?”

 

“I-it’s me.” He sounded fucking pathetic.

 

“Yurio?” Victor sounded even more confused. “Where’s Yuuri? Did something happen?”

 

“Vi-ctor?” Yuuri said weakly, his eyes closing again.

 

“No, no, fuck, Yuuri I told you!” Yuri said, shaking him. “Stay awake! Don’t fucking leave me here!”

 

“What’s going on?” Victor’s voice was sharp.

 

Yuri couldn’t even begin to explain what had happened. “Victor you need to fucking get home right now!” Yuri cried into the phone. “And talk to him!”

 

“What-?” Yuri heard before he shoved the phone next to Yuuri’s face. Yuuri smiled at the sound of Victor’s voice.

 

“Victor,” he said. “I love you.”

 

The paramedics were finally there, pulling him away. “I’m fine!” he told them, Yuuri’s phone still in his hand. “Help my friend goddammit!”

 

“Yuri?!” Victor was still on the phone. Yuri sighed and said, “I’m here. Jesus fucking Christ Victor.”

 

“What happened? I’m freaking out!” Victor asked, sounding scared.

 

“There….” What the fuck had happened. “We were at lunch and a guy with a gun…he just started shooting people.”

 

Silence. “What?”

 

“And he- we were under the table, a-and he- god dammit.” Yuri took a deep breath, trying to think. “Yuuri’s been hurt, and you need to come home right now. I think there taking him to the hospital.”

 

“He….” Victor’s voice trailed off. “I- I’m coming home. I’m coming right now.”

 

* * *

 

 

Yuri sat across from Yakov in the waiting room of the hospital. Yakov had been watching him but not saying anything, as Yuri made it clear earlier that he wasn’t ready to talk. He felt numb. He could barely wrap his brain around what had just happened. All he knew in that moment that he was alive, and he was praying that Yuuri was as well.

 

Yuuri had pulled him out of the bullet’s way.

 

Yuuri had fucking saved his life.

 

“Yuri!” Victor was running to him, and before he knew it, Victor was hugging him. Yuri didn’t react. He was too tired.

 

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Victor said, pulling away and taking in the sight of him. “Are you hurt? Are you bleeding?”

 

Yuri looked down at his sweatshirt. “It’s not my blood.”

 

Victor’s face was white. Yakov came to the rescue, putting his hand on Victor’s shoulder. “Come over here with me, Vitya, and I will try to explain everything I can.”

 

Yuri sat back down. His heart was still racing. He had really thought he was going to die.

 

He had never been so scared in his life.

 

He wasn’t even exactly sure of how long he had been there in the restaurant, or there in the hospital. Time was endless. Fear was constant.  He just wanted the doctors to say that Yuuri was okay.

 

“Yuuri Katsuki?” After a few minutes, or maybe it was another hour or two, the doctor came out. Victor jumped up and ran to him. Yuri hung back wearily, afraid for the worst. All the blood. There had been so much.

 

Yuuri was going to be okay.

 

He heard the doctor say it.

 

He fell back down in to the chair in relief.

 

And then he cried.

 

* * *

 

Yuuri blinked, confused. There were white lights above him. Hadn’t he just been at the restaurant? Where was the shooter? Where was Yuri? He tried to sit up, but he couldn’t. his body felt heavy and there was pain in his shoulder, radiating down his arm.

 

“Hey!” Victor. Victor was there, gently placing his hand on his uninjured shoulder. “It’s okay, you’re okay. You don’t have to get up. You’re in the hospital.”

 

The hospital. Yuuri didn’t even remember getting there. And Victor was supposed to be away. How long had he been asleep?

 

Victor looked terrible, his face paler than normal, a look of worry on his face as he brushed Yuuri’s hair back. Yuuri had so many questions that he didn’t know what to say.

 

“Where’s Yuri?” he asked.

 

Victor smiled. “He’s in the lobby with Yakov. He’s very worried about you, but he’s okay. He’s a little shaken.”

 

A little shaken. “I’m…okay?” he asked, though he didn’t feel okay.

 

“The doctor said you need surgery on your shoulder,” Victor said. “But surgery is backed up so we’re stuck waiting. But he said you were lucky that the bullet didn’t hit any arteries. He said you should make a full recovery, though it may take a while and need therapy.”

 

Victor’s face was so sad that Yuuri almost cried just looking at him. “I know it’s scary, but I promise it will be okay,” Victor continued, taking Yuuri’s hand in his. “And I’ll be here for you, every step of the way.”

 

Yuuri nodded and closed his eyes. He wanted to say something to comfort Victor in some way. Victor was obviously scared and worried. But Yuuri didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to feel. He was thankful that he was alive, and Yuri was unharmed. But it felt wrong to be thankful. The entire time he was in the restaurant with Yuri, hiding under that table, the only thing he focused on was making sure that they survived. He didn’t freak out or fall apart. He couldn’t, especially not with Yuri there.

 

But he had been scared. He had wanted nothing more than to fall apart. He wanted nothing more than for Victor to hold him and comfort him.

 

“Yuuri,” Victor said, his voice cracking as he wiped away a tear from Yuuri’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, my love. I can’t imagine what you went through. I wish I could take it away and make it better.”

 

Yuuri nodded again, a sob escaping him before he could stop it. The next thing he knew Victor was there, squeezing onto the bed with him, and Yuuri needed it. He needed Victor. He let Victor awkwardly hold him on the small bed, muttering to him, telling him that he loved him and promised to protect him.

 

But there were some things Victor couldn’t protect him from.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuri must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, he heard Yuri’s voice, sounding small and scared, so very unlike him.

 

“Katsudon? Can you hear me?”

 

Yuuri opened his eyes. Yuri was there, his eyes red and swollen, wearing a jacket too big for him- maybe Yakov’s?- looking even smaller than he normally did.

 

“Hey Yuri,” Yuuri croaked, managing to smile. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

 

Yuri’s face crumbled and he flung himself at Yuuri, almost hitting Yuuri’s bad shoulder but remembering at the last moment. Yuuri patted the younger Yuri’s head, too tired to do anything else as Yuri cried onto his blanket. He hated to think how scared Yuri must have been, especially when Yuuri was bleeding under the table.

 

“I told you it would be okay,” Yuuri told him. “And it will be. I’m okay. I promise.”

 

Yuri looked up at him. “Never fucking do that to me again.”

 

Yuuri smiled. He hoped he wouldn’t have to.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo sorry this is so late guys!! I've been super busy with other stuff, and also a bit unmotivated writing-wise. 
> 
> I really love this little fic though. I really treasure Yuri and Yuri's friendship, almost as much as Victor and Yuri's relationship. 
> 
> I'm still trying to come up with some new ideas for longer stories, as everything I have thought of lately is more one-shot material, though I prefer writing longer fics. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the end to this. I feel like I could have made this into a longer story, but I also didn't want it to be too dragged out, which is what I feel happened to my first fic on this site >.<
> 
> Thank you for reading, as always :)

The apartment looked the same as when Yuuri had left it.

 

Yuri’s gym bag was still thrown on the couch where he had left it before they went to lunch.

 

His clothes were still left half hanging out of the clothes basket.

 

It was almost eerie to him, now everything was the same and also completely different.

 

It was eerie how they had no idea in those moments before the shooting that their lives would soon be changed.

 

You never expect the worst to happen, after all. You never expect to go to lunch and get a gun shoved in your face and almost die.

 

“You okay?”

 

Yuuri jumped at Victor’s soft touch on his arm. He had gotten lost in his mind, forgetting that Victor was there watching him. Quickly he smiled, though he knew it wasn’t a very genuine one. “Yeah, I’m okay. I was just thinking.”

 

“About what?” Victor asked, his voice still gentle.

 

Yuuri looked away. He knew Victor wanted him to talk about what happened. But Yuuri didn’t want to. Not yet. “It doesn’t matter. I’m glad we’re home.”

 

Victor sighed but didn’t press him. “Are you hungry? I could order us some dinner.”

 

“No, I’m not. You can order for yourself, though.”

 

“Yuuri, you need to eat.”

 

“I will, just not right now,” Yuuri replied stubbornly. Victor didn’t say anything. Yuuri felt guilty. He knew Victor was trying, and that he was struggling. Victor didn’t know what to do. But Yuuri didn’t know what to do either. He felt strange, as if he was dreaming. And it wasn’t just the meds. Well, maybe it was partly the meds. Everything just felt so…off. Like he didn’t know what was real anymore.

 

“I’m sorry,” he told Victor quietly.

 

“For what?” Victor asked softly.

 

Yuuri looked down and tried to put his feelings into words. “I’m…I’m not okay. And I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what I feel.” He sighed, already exhausted from trying to explain. “I’m just sorry.”

 

Victor looked so sad at his words, making him feel worse. “I’m not expecting you to be okay, Yuuri. Don’t apologize. I want to help you, if I can. But please, don’t feel guilty. What happened to you was terrible, and I wish that I could do something to take it away for you. But all I can do is be here for you. So if you need to be angry, you can. If you need to be sad, you can. It’s okay. I promise.”

 

“I…I don’t know what I need,” Yuuri admitted. He looked down at his arm, which was in a sling and completely useless for the time being. “Will you…lay down with me? I’m kind of tired.” He couldn’t help but blush at his own words, but it was the only thing he wanted in that moment.

 

Victor’s face softened and he kissed the top of Yuuri’s head. “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

Yuri couldn’t sit still.

 

It had been two days. Two days since they had gone into that restaurant.

 

The man responsible still hadn’t been caught, though they had found Nikolai’s dead body not far from the restaurant.

 

He hadn’t been able to sleep much. Or eat much. Yakov, Lilia, and Mila were hovering over him constantly, checking on him, telling him he should do this or that. But he ignored them all. He knew that they were only trying to help, but he hated it. They just didn’t understand.

 

He just wanted to understand.

 

He had never felt this way in his life. He was scared, and angry, and confused. He felt like he was living in some weird fucked up nightmare. People had died. He had almost died. He’s seen the blood, heard the cries.

 

It wasn’t okay.

 

How did you just get over from something like that?

 

He was alive. And he was thankful for that. Yuuri was alive, too. They even let him go home from the hospital, though Yuri hadn’t seen him since after he had his surgery yesterday. He knew Yuuri needed to rest and didn’t want to bother him.

 

But Yuuri was there.

 

Yuuri understood.

 

He wondered if Yuuri was okay.

 

Fuck it.

 

“Yura, where are you going?” Yakov was on him in a second as he made his way to the door.

 

“I’m leaving,” Yuri replied without looking at him.

 

“I see that, but-“

 

“I need some goddamn air, okay?” Yuri snapped at his coach, before slamming the door in his face. He stomped away angrily, though after a few minutes, his anger dissipated and he felt bad. Why didn’t anyone just take the hint that he needed some space?

 

The air did help though. It was cold and refreshing. It slapped him in the face and helped him feel a little more grounded. A little more alive.

 

The walk to Victor’s flat went quickly. Yuri wasn’t even entirely sure how he got there without getting hit by a car or something, because he had been a trance the whole time, moving on autopilot. He knocked at the door for what felt like forever, until a messy-haired, half asleep Victor answered, rubbing his eyes.

 

“Yurio,” he yawned. “I’m sorry, I fell asleep with Yuuri.”

 

“Oh-sorry,” Yuri said awkwardly. “I can go-“

 

“No! It’s okay.” Victor opened the door for him. “Come in, it’s cold out there.”

 

Yuri did as he was told. His eyes fell on his forgotten gym bag, which he had thrown down before they went to lunch that day.

 

That day.

 

“Can I get you something?” Victor asked. “Tea, coffee, anything?”

 

Victor was being oddly generous, but at least it was better than hovering. “Uh, sure. Coffee.”

 

Victor nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Yuri sat down on the couch. After a few moments of staring at it, he picked up his gym bag and hugged it.

 

It felt good.

 

“Here,” Victor said, coming back into the room, making Yuri jump and push the bag away. Feeling embarrassed, he took the coffee without looking at Victor and said, “How’s Katsudon?” before Victor could comment.

 

“He’s-okay,” Victor said, sitting down as well. “He’s sleeping right now. I can tell his shoulder is bothering him but he doesn’t complain.”

 

“What did the doctor say?”

 

“It’s going to be a long recovery,” Victor sighed. “He will have some pain for a while, and he will need to do some physical therapy once he had healed. But it should be a full recovery in a few months’ time.”

 

“Still sucks,” Yuri said. He couldn’t help but feel guilty. It had been his fault, after all. He had been fighting Yuuri over his phone. He had got the gunman’s attention. He had been the target for the bullet.

 

Fuck Yuuri for being so goddamn noble.

 

“Yuri?” Victor’s voice woke Yuri from his thoughts. He felt a tear slide down his face.

 

Shit, now he was crying. In front of Victor.

 

He wiped his face hurriedly and didn’t say anything. It was too late now to deny it. Victor had seen him. Victor looked conflicted, his hand reaching out to Yuri but then stopping.

 

“I’m sorry, Yuri,” Victor told him sadly. “It’s unfair, what happened. No one should ever have to experience something terrible like that. I know that there’s nothing I can say to make it better. Yuuri is struggling, too. Perhaps…perhaps he’s the one who can help you, and you him.”

 

Victor stood up. “I’m going to go check on him and see if he’s awake. I’ll be back.”

 

Yuri sniffled to himself as he sat alone in the living room. He hadn’t cried since the night when he first saw Yuuri, and it felt good in a way. Victor came back a moment later.

 

“He’s awake,” Victor said. “You can go see him, if you want. I need to take Makka out for a walk anyway, and I’d feel better if someone was here with him.”

 

“Okay,” Yuri mumbled, and followed Victor to their room. Yuuri was propped up in bed, his arm wrapped and in a sling. He smiled sadly when he made eye contact with Yuri, and Yuri had a stupid urge to hug him. But he didn’t. Instead he climbed on to the foot of the bed without a word. Victor leaned over Yuuri to kiss him.

 

“I’ll be back in a little bit,” Victor said. “I’ll have my phone on me so don’t hesitate to call me if you need me.”

 

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Yuuri replied, sounding as tired as Yuri felt. Victor squeezed his hand before leaving with Makkachin in tow. There was something comforting about seeing Yuuri and Victor together.

 

Like there were still good things in this fucked up world.

 

“So,” Yuuri said, after Victor had left and they sat there in silence for a moment.

 

“Are you…okay?” Yuri asked. He had finally stopped crying, thank god. “Does your arm hurt?”

 

“Yeah,” Yuuri admitted. “But they gave me some good painkillers so it could be worse. The doctors said I was really lucky, so I can’t complain too much. I got off pretty easy.”

 

Yeah, he could have died, like those other people. The news had said that five people had died, and many more had been injured in the restaurant.

 

“Do you feel…like everything is foggy?” Yuri asked. “Like you’re stuck in a dream or something?”

 

“Hm, I do,” Yuuri said, nodding. “It’s hard to describe it. I feel like my world has stopped but it kept going for everyone else. And I want to keep moving too, but I don’t know how.”

 

Yuri felt his throat tighten and GODDAMNIT he didn’t want to cry again.

 

“How long do you think it will last?” he asked, his voice higher than he would like it to sound.

 

“I don’t know,” Yuuri replied. “I don’t think we have a way of knowing.”

 

Yuri looked at his hands. “I thought I was going to die. And then I really thought you were going to die.”

 

“Yeah, me too,” Yuuri said quietly.

 

“Why did you do it?” Yuri asked, looking up at him again. “You moved me out of the way. You saved my life.”

 

Yuuri looked confused. “Why? Why do you think? Because I care about you, Yuri. I was afraid that he was going to kill you. I didn’t even have to think, I just reacted. And I’m glad I did. You might not have been as lucky as I was.”

 

“But what if you had died?” Damn tears again. “It would have been my fault. And I would have had to sit there and watch you die-“

 

“But I didn’t,” Yuuri told him. “I didn’t die. I’m okay, Yuri. I’m so sorry that you were scared, and that you were alone when I was hurt. But I would do it again if it meant saving you.”

 

“But why?” Yuri asked, his voice nothing more than a sob now. “Why me? I’ve never even treated you well. I treat you like shit!”

 

Yuuri chuckled, making him wince. “You are more than you give yourself credit for, Yuri.”

 

Yuri didn’t care anymore. He didn’t care about appearances or what anyone would think of him, because life was shit right now and none of that mattered. He flung himself at Yuuri, careful not to hurt his shoulder, and hugged him. Yuuri patted his head, saying, “I know,” and somehow, it brought Yuri some comfort to know that he wasn’t alone.

 

* * *

 

 

Victor came back into the apartment, Makkachin happily trotting by his side. The apartment was quiet, but he could still see the bedroom light on through the cracked open door. He listened at the door for a moment before pushing it open, just to make sure he wasn’t interrupting. He was quite taken aback at the sight of Yuri, apparently asleep, his head on Yuuri’s lap. Yuuri was awake, and put his fingers to his lips, telling Victor to be quiet. Victor couldn’t help but smile at the sight of them together like that. Yuri had finally gotten to sleep, and Yuuri also looked a bit calmer.

 

Apparently they had needed each other, after all.


End file.
